Deacon Weekend: Honoring the Hidden Servants Among Us
On Oct. 10-11, Catholics across the Archdiocese of Denver are invited to pray for their deacons, thank their families, encourage new vocations and support the men who quietly bring Christ to those in need.
This October, faithful across the Archdiocese of Denver have a special opportunity to honor, pray for and support their deacons during Deacon Weekend, a new annual archdiocesan observance to be held October 10 and 11, 2026.
Appreciating the Gift of the Diaconate
“Deacon Weekend is an opportunity for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Denver to recognize the gift of the diaconate and to see more clearly how Christ the Servant is present among them,” said Deacon Ernie Martinez, archdiocesan director of deacons. “We want the faithful to pray for their deacons, learn more about their ministry, thank deacons and their families and encourage men who may be discerning this vocation.”
The observance aims to bring the deacons’ ministry, which often occurs away from public view, to the forefront of the Church, giving the faithful a glimpse of how Christ the Servant remains active in our communities today.
“The deacon’s actions on one hand require being visible, approachable and familiar to people searching for an encounter with Christ. This puts us in the ‘public eye’ by necessity, making ourselves available to people who need a listening ear, a blessing or assistance working through a struggle,” explained Deacon Mark Leonard, assistant director of deacons.
“On the other hand, a good portion of a deacon’s ‘work’ is hidden from plain view. He is a man of quiet prayer and a servant of invisible members of society,” he continued, pointing to deacons’ ministry to the homebound, incarcerated, grieving, hospitalized and lost. “We hope Catholics gain a small appreciation for this part of their ministry and pray that the Lord give them strength, courage and patience while they serve in the background.”
That appreciation should also extend to deacons’ wives and families, who “share generously in the sacrifices that make this ministry possible,” Deacon Martinez added.
Supporting Our Deacons
During the Deacon Weekend, deacons across Northern Colorado will be invited to share their vocation stories, and the faithful will be invited to pray for and support these hidden servants. In addition to prayerful support, financial gifts may be directed to the St. Lawrence Fund for Deacons, a newly created means to help deacons in need, which was named for the great third-century deacon-saint.
“The Fund was created so that our diaconal community could care for its own while continuing to serve others,” Deacon Martinez shared. “Deacons frequently spend their lives responding to the needs of parishioners without drawing attention to their own needs. The St. Lawrence Fund allows the Church to stand beside deacons and their families when age, illness, financial hardship or an unexpected circumstance creates a genuine need, including ministerial support. It is a practical expression of ordained fraternity: no brother deacon or family should have to carry a serious burden alone.”
That support might look like helping a deacon through a serious illness, emergency or life transition. It could also include assisting retired deacons who remain active in ministry but may no longer have the support of an assigned parish. It may also involve supporting continuing formation for deacons — active or retired.
In all these ways, support for the St. Lawrence Fund is support for deacons on the front lines of ministry and evangelization across Northern Colorado, Deacon Martinez said.
“When Catholics support the St. Lawrence Fund, they are not simply funding a program,” he told the Denver Catholic. “They are standing behind the men who baptize their children, prepare couples for marriage, accompany their sick parents, bury their loved ones, teach the faith and bring Christ into hospitals, jails, nursing homes and places of poverty.
“The faithful may never know the particular deacon or family their gift assists, and that is part of the beauty of it. This is charity offered quietly, from one part of the Body of Christ to another,” he continued. “Every gift says to our deacons and families, ‘Your service matters, and you do not serve alone.’”
While there will be no formal second collection during the Deacon Weekend, Catholics across the Archdiocese of Denver are encouraged to prayerfully consider supporting their deacons by making a gift to the St. Lawrence Fund online at deaconden.org/stlawrencefund.
Encouraging Vocations
As Deacon Weekend approaches, Deacon Martinez said he hopes the faithful do three things: “pray for their deacons, personally thank them and their families and invite a faithful man to consider whether God may be calling him.”
That final piece is of paramount importance in this apostolic age, Deacon Martinez noted.
“The Church needs deacons who are men of prayer, strong in marriage and family life, close to their pastors, attentive to the poor and willing to accompany people at the margins,” he concluded. “As our communities face loneliness, grief, division and spiritual hunger, the ministry of presence has never been more important. A deacon may not be able to solve every problem, but he can carry the Gospel into that moment and remind a person that Christ and his Church have not forgotten them.”
